Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-07-02
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINE's SUN.
DAY SERMON.
Subject: 1.-THE Tempest"

CnitSt sttHtn9 the tempest.
Tiberias, Galilee, Gennesaret--three names
for the same lake. No other gem ever had so
beautiful setting. Itlay in a scene of great
raced, sloped, groved, SO many hanging gar
dens Of beauty the waters rumbling down
between rocks OF gay and red limestone,
flashing from the hills and bounding into the
sea On the shore were castles, armed towers,
Roman baths, everything attractive; all
styles Of vegetation in shorter space than in
almost any other space in all the world, from
the palm-tree Of the tropics to the trees of
rigorous climate.
1t seemed as if the Lord had launched one
wave of beauty on all the scene, and it hung
and swung from rock and hill and oleander.
Roman gentlemen In pleasure boats sailing
tho lake, and the countrymen in fish-smacks
coming down to drop their nets pass each
other with nod and shout and laughter, or
swinging idly at their mornings. Oh, what a
wonderful, what an enchanting lakel
1t seems as if we shall have quiet night
Not leaf w1nked in the air; not a ripple
wrinkled the face of Gennesaret but there
seems to be little excitement up the beach,
and we hasten to see what it is, and we find it
an enbarkatiom.
From the western shore flotilla pushing
: out; not squadron Of deadly armament, nor
q clipper with valuable merchandise, nor
piratic vessels ready to DESTROY everything
messengers Of life, and light, and peace.
Christ Is in the front boat Many Of His
disciples are following in smaller boats. Jesus,
weary with much speaking to large multi.
tudes, is put into somnolence by the rocking
Of the waves, II there was any motion at
the wind passed from star6oard to
larboard, or from larboard to starboard, the
boat would rock, and by the gentleness Of the
motion putting the Master asleep And they
extemPoIized pillow made out of fisher
mans coat. l think no sooner is Christ pros
tIate, and His head touches the pillow, than
he is sound asleep. The breezes of the lake
run their fingers through the locks Of the
worn sleeper, and the boat rises and falls like
a sleeping child on the bosom of a sleeping
mother.
Calm night, starry night, beautiful night
Hun up all the sails, ply all the oars, and let
the large boat and the smaller boats glide
over the gentle Gennesaret. But the sailors
cay there is going to be a change of weather
And even the passengers can hear the moan
ing OF the storm, as it comes on with great
stride, and all the terrors of hurricane and
darkness. The large boat trembles like a
deer at bay among the clangor of the hounds;
great patches OF foam are flung into the air;
the sails OF the vessel loosen, and flapped by
the wind crack like pistols: the smaller boats,
like petrels, poise on the cliff of the waves and
then plunge.
Overheard go cargo, tackling, and masts,
and the drenched disciples, rush into the back
part OF the boat, and lay hold of Christ. and
say unto him: Master, carest Thou not that
we perishf' That great parsonage lifts His
head from the pillow of the fisherinan's coat,
walks to the front of the vessel. and looks
out into the storm. All around Him are the
smaller boats, driven in the tempest, and
through it comes the cry of drowning men,
BY the flash of the lightning | see the calm
nf Il.
beard lie has one word for the sky and an
other for the waves Looking upward He
cries: Peace" Looking downward He says:
''Be still"
The waves fall fiat on their faces, the foam
melts, the extinguished stars re-light their
torches. The tempest falls dead and Christ
stand with His right foot on the neck of the
storm. And while the sailors are bailing ont
the boats, and while they are trying to I'M
tangle the cordage, the disciples stand in
amazement, now looking into the calm sea-
then into the calm sky, then into the calm
Savlours countenance, and they cry out:
What manner of man is this. that even the
winds and the sea obey Him.
The subject in the first place irnprsyses me
with the TACT that it is very important to
have Christ in the ship; for all those boats
would have gone to the bottom of Gennesaret
II Christ had not been present. Oh, what
lesson for you and for me to learn, Wemust
always have Christ in the ship. Whatever
voyage we undertake. into whatever enter
prise we start, let us always have Christ Ia
the snip. Many Of you in these days of
revived commerce are starting out in new
financial enterprises bid you good cheer
Do all you can do. Do it on as high plane as
possible; You have no right to be a
s sd,I;ro, IN the 81. ship il you can be an
no right to be colonel of a regiment If yo,i
ian command brigade; you have no right
70 De engineer OF boat on the North River
or near the coast, IL you can take the oceaI,
steamer from New York to Liverpool All
you can do with utmost tension of body.
LInano, ana SOU, yo1 are bound to do; but oh
nave OnrisC IN every enterprise Christ La
every voyage, Christ In every shin,
Ihere are men here who asked God to helm
snesp ct the start Of great enterprises. He
mas been with them in the past; no trouble
can overthrow them; the storms might come
aown from the top Of Mount Herinon, and
3ash Gennesaret into foam and into agony.
ouC 10 could not hurt them.
D9g mere Is another man who starts out in
worldly enterprise, and he depends iuon tho
uncertainties Of this life he has no (5od IN
nelp MN After whils Che storm comes
and tosses off the masts OF the shin Ia MT,
ONT DIS lifeboak and the loug-no1t. tina
sSefln ana tee auctioneer try to help him off:
SSnlsey can help him off; he must &C down; no
-L--xx- - oAA4p. A1Sit slIb young men 1llSt
starting out in lifa Your life viii be made
up Oh sunshine and shadow. There NAV be-
~ ~ Actlc blasts, or tropical tornndoes: |
kno~ not what is before yoa, but / know if
son nave Christ with you all shall be well.
you may seam TO get along without tina
rsnglo1 OF Christ while everything goes
smoothly, but after while, when Sorrow
movers over the soul, when the waves of trial
naap clear over the hurricane deck, and the
deeks are crowded with piratical disasters:
On, what would you do then without Christ
N the shipi Young man, take God for your
portion, God for your guide, God for yorr
heip; then all is web; all is well for time:
all shall be well forever. Blessed is that man
who puts in the Lord his trust. He shall
never be confounded
But my subject also impresses me with the
TACT that when people start TO follow Christ
they must not expect smooth sailing.
These disciples got into the small boat. and
! have no doubt they said: "What beauti-
tul day this isl What smooth sea- What
bright sky this isl How delightful
ls sailing this boat and as for the
waves under the keel of the boat. whv
they only make the motion of our little boat
the more delightful" But when the winds
swept down, and the sea was tossed into
wrath, then they found that following Christ
was not smooth sailing So you have found
u; SO have found it. Did you ever notiee
the end Of the life Of the apostles OF Jesus
Christi You WOuld aav IL avor NOV, e,,rls